2020 NFL Draft prospect rankings: Cornerbacks

theScore's Mike Alessandrini and Dan Wilkins break down the top cornerbacks in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft as part of a position-by-position series.

Top 50
QB | RB | WR | TE | OL
DL | EDGE | LB | CB | S

1. Jeff Okudah

School: Ohio State
Height: 6-1
Weight: 205 lbs

Positives

• Excellent size, length, and speed for his position
• Great production in college with low completion rate allowed
• Elite athleticism and burst
• Quick feet at the line of scrimmage - changes direction effortlessly and is able to mirror any receiver
• Good press defender with strong hands at the line
• Explosive closing speed
• Good ball skills while utilizing late hands to jar ball loose from receivers
• Fluid hips and physicality to stick with receiver during entire route and excel in man coverage
• Awareness to focus on pass-catcher's eyes and locate ball

Negatives

• Below average run defender
• Could improve ball tracking to avoid relying on length and closing burst
• Can be overly physical downfield

Bottom line

If you were to draw up a perfect cornerback prospect coming out of college, he'd look and play much like Okudah. The unanimous All-American possesses nearly every ideal coverage-defender trait that NFL teams covet, with size, length, production, athleticism, and ball skills just a few of them. The former Buckeye may not offer elite read-and-reaction skills to thrive in a zone, but he profiles as a high-end man-coverage corner who can lock down opponents' No. 1 target on the perimeter or in the slot. With so few true weaknesses in his game, expect Okudah to be an immediate-impact defender in the pros.

Grade: Top 15

2. CJ Henderson

School: Florida
Height: 6-1
Weight: 204 lbs

Positives

• Very good blend of size, length, and athleticism
• Offers elite speed and ability to run with any receiver all over the field
• Quick feet and extremely fluid hips to change direction
• Very patient at the line of scrimmage
• Natural playing the ball - recorded 11 pass breakups in 2019 and was very close to a few more
• Good at locating ball when facing the quarterback
• Instincts and reaction are top-notch
• Strong hands at the line of scrimmage in press coverage
• Weaponized as an effective blitzer from the boundary

Negatives

• Production declined after an excellent 2018 sophomore campaign
• Lacks physicality at the catch point
• Can be greedy waiting to make a big play, allowing easy receptions underneath
• Motor appeared to run hot and cold last season

Bottom line

Henderson's junior season didn't go exactly according to plan after he took college football by storm the year prior, but his natural tools simply can't be ignored. The Florida standout has speed for days, with the length and ball skills to challenge opposing receivers anywhere on the field. Henderson can thrive in any scheme with his instincts. He's likely best suited for man-to-man coverage, and his future team can also utilize him in some press coverage at the line of scrimmage. If he improves his physicality and learns when to take risks, Henderson can develop into a Pro Bowl talent.

Grade: 1st round

3. Kristian Fulton

School: LSU
Height: 6-0
Weight: 197 lbs

Positives

• Large stretches of dominance versus top SEC competition
• Forced a ton of incompletions, especially on short routes
• Very patient with good technical abilities to mirror receivers off their release
• Fluid hips and excellent closing burst to ball
• Won't bite on double moves
• Good ball-tracking skills led to a number of pass breakups (14 in total this past season)
• High football IQ - reads quarterback's eyes and receiver's hands
• Experience defending nearly every route at all levels of the field
• Eased character concerns after two-year suspension early in career

Negatives

• Average overall athleticism
• Just two career interceptions
• Lean frame and short arms for position
• Lacks physicality, and strong receivers consistently outmuscle him downfield
• Slight concerns over deep speed

Bottom line

You'd be hard-pressed to find a more consistent defender across SEC secondaries over the past two years than Fulton. However, the former LSU star doesn't come without his weaknesses. Namely, his speed and below-average physicality downfield. But his college production was no fluke. Fulton forced the most incompletions in 2019 in his class, which is a key trait pro teams look for in a prospect. While he fits into nearly any scheme, Fulton can thrive in a zone defense that allows him to read the play and use his instincts and burst to disrupt opponents.

Grade: Rounds 1-2

4. A.J. Terrell

School: Clemson
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 195 lbs

Positives

• Excellent combination of size, length, and speed
• Plenty of starting experience for national-championship contender
• Explosive athleticism shows up on tape
• Long arms stick to receivers when he times press well - can consistently win line-of-scrimmage battle
• Good interception rate despite not being targeted much
• Efficient in backpedal while reading quarterback's eyes
• Good route timing and consistently disrupts the catch point
• Extremely fluid for his size and can change direction with ease

Negatives

• Didn't match up with many elite ACC receivers
• Bit on double moves a handful of times
• Must add strength for the pros - not very effective on jump balls or contested catches despite height and length
• Can give up too much room on release when not jamming receivers

Bottom line

After three successful campaigns at Clemson, Terrell tests the NFL waters with some desirable traits. His speed and length will lead to plenty of interest, but the First-team All-ACC selection also offers scheme versatility and intriguing ball skills. Terrell is already a high-quality prospect, so imagine what can happen if he adds strength to his frame and discipline while playing in off coverage. He possesses rare fluidity for his size and offers all the tools necessary to develop into a starting-caliber NFL cornerback.

Grade: Rounds 1-2

5. Jaylon Johnson

School: Utah
Height: 6-0
Weight: 193 lbs

Positives

• Solid size and athleticism
• Possesses the physicality, aggressiveness, and tenacity to succeed in the NFL
• Excellent instincts and desire to challenge for interceptions
• Broke up 15 passes over last two seasons
• Extremely consistent production while never allowing a passer rating over 58 in a single season since 2017
• Good press technique and strength at the line of scrimmage
• Fantastic ball-tracking skills and good burst to the target
• Can stick with receivers in man coverage all over the field
• Effective tackler and can help out in run defense

Negatives

• Below average deep speed
• Doesn't possess ideal height and length for every scheme
• Can give too much room to receivers early in route due to tight hips
• Aggressive nature makes him susceptible to double moves

Bottom line

Johnson wasn't in the national spotlight the way some of his 2020 peers were last season, but the Utah product is one of the more intriguing cornerback prospects in this class. The talented defender offers instincts that simply can't be coached. However, his aggressive nature could burn him in the NFL when it's ill-timed. But once Johnson sorts that part of his game out, he profiles as a starting-caliber corner in a zone-heavy defense, or one that allows him to seal the perimeter and press against physical X receivers.

Grade: 2nd round

6. Trevon Diggs

School: Alabama
Height: 6-1
Weight: 205 lbs

Positives

• Excellent size and length
• Fantastic 2019 campaign: Broke up eight passes while allowing a low completion percentage in coverage
• Tall, physical receivers give him little trouble in man coverage
• Good instincts - deviated from his zone and made plays on the ball several times
• Packs a punch at the line of scrimmage to throw off receivers in press coverage
• Good burst on plays in front of him for a bigger cornerback
• Very good ball skills and tracking ability

Negatives

• Athleticism and deep speed to recover is below average
• Not very fluid and struggles to change direction
• Allows too much room on release when not pressing
• Missed easy tackles in run defense and after the catch

Bottom line

Diggs is among the most polarizing cornerbacks in the 2020 draft class because he likely won't offer much scheme versatility at the next level. The former Crimson Tide defender is experienced running some different looks, but he could struggle if asked to play in off-man coverage due to his uninspiring speed, athleticism, and fluidity. But when he's in a scheme that plays to his strengths, look out. Diggs possesses excellent ball skills and strength at the line of scrimmage to succeed for teams that run Cover 3/press defenses often, like the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons. He's not for everyone, but Diggs is still a high-quality prospect.

Grade: 2nd round

7. Bryce Hall

School: Virginia
Height: 6-1
Weight: 202 lbs

Positives

• Elite size, frame, and length for a cornerback prospect
• 2018 tape was outstanding, and flashed in 2019 before injury
• Lengthy background as a wide receiver
• Excellent ball skills - recorded 38 passes defensed and five interceptions during collegiate career
• Top-tier awareness, and can read quarterback's eyes and receiver's routes in front of him
• Long arms help with jam at the line of scrimmage
• Very good closing speed and reaction when bursting to ball
• Productive defending contested targets using strength to win leverage battle

Negatives

• Doesn't possess ideal speed or athleticism
• Plays upright, leading to slow change of direction
• Season-ending ankle injury derailed 2019 campaign
• Physicality downfield could lead to penalties

Bottom line

Hall's journey to the NFL is a unique one. Many expected the Virginia standout to declare for the 2019 draft after a dominant junior campaign, but he instead opted to stay in school. After five uneven outings, Hall's senior year ended with a severe ankle injury. Now fully healthy, his evaluation is a difficult one. Though the 2018 All-American's play appeared to decline this past season, there's a lot to like about his game. Hall's instincts, ball skills, and length are rare. Similar to Diggs, he fits perfectly in a Cover 3 scheme as an outside cornerback, even though Hall won't offer much versatility. Don't overthink him.

Grade: 2nd round

8. Jeff Gladney

School: TCU
Height: 5-10
Weight: 191 lbs

Positives

• Battle-tested after shadowing a plethora of talented Big 12 receivers
• Has logged good reps winning 50/50 battles versus Denzel Mims and Collin Johnson
• Physicality and tenacity makes up for lack of size
• Very quick feet at the line of scrimmage to mirror receivers
• Outstanding college production - allowed a very low completion percentage in man coverage while forcing many incompletions
• Understands where to attack ball in zone coverage
• Game speed is much faster than timed speed (4.48-second 40-yard dash at combine)
• Great tackler who rarely whiffs against the run

Negatives

• Lacks ideal size and frame to match up against top-tier NFL receivers
• Below-average instincts to turn and find the ball in the air
• 7.26-second three-cone drill result highlighted concerning change-of-direction skills
• Susceptible to double moves

Bottom line

Mixing physicality and technique, Gladney enjoyed a successful career at TCU. While there are concerns regarding whether his frame can hold up against NFL competition and if he'll be exposed due to subpar change-of-direction skills, the feisty defender's production speaks for itself. With an impressive combination of quick feet and the ability to force incompletions, Gladney fits best in a man-coverage scheme with deep-lying safeties behind him.

Grade: Rounds 2-3

Other notable prospects

Noah Igbinoghene (Auburn)
Cameron Dantzler (Mississippi State)
Damon Arnette (Ohio State)
Troy Pride Jr. (Notre Dame)
Amik Robertson (Louisiana Tech)
Darnay Holmes (UCLA)